WINDHAM – Windham Fire Chief Charles Hammond is crediting the good judgment and quick action of the first five firefighters on scene with saving a home from a rapidly moving fire Sunday morning.

Hammond says the fire, at the Rickett family home at 7 Walter Partridge Road, began in a far corner of an attached two-car garage.

The home’s two occupants noticed smoke and called 911. The call came in at 10:34 a.m., and first responders – some coming from homes in the nearby area – were at the house at 10:38 a.m.

“When they arrived, there was a good-sized fire in the garage, so they pulled lines off the truck and went into the house through the front door,” Hammond said. “But they were able to keep that fire in the garage, which saved the house. But if they had fought the fire from outside, the house would have gone up, too. So that made the difference and saved that house.”

Three of the first responders came from home while two crew members drove Ladder 4 from the North Windham station. Subsequent responders hauled additional water from a nearby pond at the intersection of Route 202 and Walter Partridge Road.

The Cape-style home, perched atop a small incline, suffered smoke damage and damage to the front door, where the firefighters broke through. But for the most part, the house sustained relatively little damage. The garage, on the other hand, was a complete loss, along with the Harley Davidson motorcycle, Lincoln Continental, and Chevy pickup that were stored inside.

Hammond said the cause of the fire “may never be known” and that “at this point, we have no idea what caused it.” Hammond ruled out arson, saying the fire was “not intentional.”

According to Hammond, the home’s two occupants were at home at the time of the fire. Robert Rickett Jr. was in the back yard and his wife, Jayne, was inside the house. Hammond said the husband saw smoke emanating from the garage and went to investigate at about the same time his wife went into the garage and saw fire and smoke.

Hammond said the wife initially thought the husband was in the fire, and she retreated back into the house to call 911. But she was quickly reunited with her husband when he went inside the house, as well. Efforts to reach the Ricketts were unsuccessful by press time.

While there were three vehicles caught in the blaze, none exploded. As flames ate away at the structure, the roof of the large garage collapsed onto the vehicles.

In all, 30 to 40 firefighters from six area departments (Windham, Gorham, Standish, Gray, Raymond and Westbrook) helped battle the stubborn blaze that took about an hour to get under control. The all-out signal was given at 2:38 p.m., nearly four hours after the call came in.

Since the house needs to be cleaned due to smoke damage, Hammond said the Ricketts are staying with family in the area.

Windham Fire Chief Charles Hammond is crediting the good
judgment and quick action of the first five firefighters on scene
with saving a home from a rapidly moving fire Sunday morning at 7
Walter Partridge Road. (Courtesy photo)